FORT MYERS BEACH Revive The Vibe Fest returns to Fort Myers Beach The Revive The Vibe festival is returning to Fort Myers Beach, bringing in a tidal wave of local artists, musicians and businesses.
SARASOTA Mosquito-borne illness advisory issued in Sarasota Florida’s recent rainy climate has created a breeding ground for mosquitoes, raising concerns over the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses.
CHARLOTTE COUNTY Man sentenced to 15 years in prison for attacking Charlotte County inmate A man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for attempting to attack another inmate with a weapon in Charlotte County.
MARCO ISLAND Boater missing after departing from Marco Island A boater has been missing since Monday after departing from Rose Marina in Marco Island and traveling between Sanibel and Stump Pass.
COLLIER COUNTY Lehigh Acres man accused of reckless driving, fleeing on foot A Lehigh Acres man has been arrested after allegedly driving recklessly and then fleeing on foot in Collier County.
CAPE CORAL 18yo Cape Coral woman arrested for driving over 100 mph, drug possession The Florida Highway Patrol has arrested a woman who stands accused of reckless driving, drug possession and running from law enforcement.
CAPE CORAL Duo arrested for Cape Coral armed robbery, fleeing from officers Two people have been arrested after allegedly breaking into a Cape Coral arcade armed with guns earlier this week.
FORT MYERS Massive police presence reported at Schandler Hall Park Several Lee County Sheriff’s Office vehicles were seen responding to Schandler Hall Park in Fort Myers.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County increasing school police presence over social media threats As parents send their kids to school Thursday, they’ll see extra police and deputy presence on campuses due to threats posted on social media.
The Weather Authority More rain and storms for your Thursday The Weather Authority is tracking an increased chance of rain and storms throughout this Thursday afternoon.
Pet cat recovering after being shot in Port Charlotte A pet cat that had been missing for several days turned up at his Port Charlotte home in rough shape.
NAPLES Man accused of exposing himself at Naples Pier The Naples Police Department arrested a man who stands accused of exposing himself publicly at the Naples Pier.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral focusing on evacuation routes for hurricanes The city of Cape Coral is focusing on evacuation routes to make things smooth and safe for residents leaving during severe weather events.
Fort Myers talks about proposed parking lot in Dean Park Residents are trying to stop the warehouse in the Dean Park Historic District from becoming a parking lot for the city’s truck fleet.
Former New York officer speaks to students on 9/11 Master officer for Naples police department Sean Phillips, who at the time was a New York police officer, shared what that day was like for him with students at the community school of Naples.
FORT MYERS BEACH Revive The Vibe Fest returns to Fort Myers Beach The Revive The Vibe festival is returning to Fort Myers Beach, bringing in a tidal wave of local artists, musicians and businesses.
SARASOTA Mosquito-borne illness advisory issued in Sarasota Florida’s recent rainy climate has created a breeding ground for mosquitoes, raising concerns over the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses.
CHARLOTTE COUNTY Man sentenced to 15 years in prison for attacking Charlotte County inmate A man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for attempting to attack another inmate with a weapon in Charlotte County.
MARCO ISLAND Boater missing after departing from Marco Island A boater has been missing since Monday after departing from Rose Marina in Marco Island and traveling between Sanibel and Stump Pass.
COLLIER COUNTY Lehigh Acres man accused of reckless driving, fleeing on foot A Lehigh Acres man has been arrested after allegedly driving recklessly and then fleeing on foot in Collier County.
CAPE CORAL 18yo Cape Coral woman arrested for driving over 100 mph, drug possession The Florida Highway Patrol has arrested a woman who stands accused of reckless driving, drug possession and running from law enforcement.
CAPE CORAL Duo arrested for Cape Coral armed robbery, fleeing from officers Two people have been arrested after allegedly breaking into a Cape Coral arcade armed with guns earlier this week.
FORT MYERS Massive police presence reported at Schandler Hall Park Several Lee County Sheriff’s Office vehicles were seen responding to Schandler Hall Park in Fort Myers.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County increasing school police presence over social media threats As parents send their kids to school Thursday, they’ll see extra police and deputy presence on campuses due to threats posted on social media.
The Weather Authority More rain and storms for your Thursday The Weather Authority is tracking an increased chance of rain and storms throughout this Thursday afternoon.
Pet cat recovering after being shot in Port Charlotte A pet cat that had been missing for several days turned up at his Port Charlotte home in rough shape.
NAPLES Man accused of exposing himself at Naples Pier The Naples Police Department arrested a man who stands accused of exposing himself publicly at the Naples Pier.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral focusing on evacuation routes for hurricanes The city of Cape Coral is focusing on evacuation routes to make things smooth and safe for residents leaving during severe weather events.
Fort Myers talks about proposed parking lot in Dean Park Residents are trying to stop the warehouse in the Dean Park Historic District from becoming a parking lot for the city’s truck fleet.
Former New York officer speaks to students on 9/11 Master officer for Naples police department Sean Phillips, who at the time was a New York police officer, shared what that day was like for him with students at the community school of Naples.
As we have reported this week, some people have unfinished homes. Some just have a vacant lot. The owner of the vacant lot told WINK News Reporter Olivia Jean he paid $100,000 to Beattie Development, and they never broke ground. The owner explained that he had previously hired Beattie before the pandemic and thought Beattie did a great job. So, when his house needed to be rebuilt after Hurricane Ian, he called Beattie Development. Within 15 days of signing the contract, he sent Beattie Development over $100,000. He then said he was “pulling teeth” to get Beattie to start on his house. Once Beattie asked him to move his permits to a new entity, he realized he needed to terminate his contract. “I’m one of the luckier, unluckier ones,” the owner said due to him not having liens, making his house free and clear to move forward with a new contractor. RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Former Beattie Development project manager speaks out RELATED: Beattie Development at risk of losing BBB accreditation WINK News has talked to several homeowners, but what about those selling the land? Steven LaBoeuf, owner of Florida Gulf Home Realty, said he quickly regretted his recommendation to send three of his clients to work with Beattie Development. He said, “I decided I wasn’t going to recommend anybody again.” He said all three of them have their homes, but they lost thousands of dollars as a result. The first client was completed before “things got out of control.” The second client did a lot themselves to get moved in. The third client was left with an unfinished home by Beattie after paying in full but was able to more or less complete it. LaBoeuf also told us that the Beattie Development owes him $16,000 for commissions on two new construction homes, but he doesn’t expect to ever get that money. He went on to say, “Paul [Beattie] pursued me to sell homes for him because he knew I sold 2-3 new construction per year.” READ MORE: Where’s Beattie? Former customers speak out; connect through group chat READ MORE: Beattie Development subcontractors speak out LaBoeuf was happy to see Cape Coral police take some action when they raided Beattie’s office on Wednesday. “I was thrilled to death. I was on an airplane on Tuesday, and when I landed, my phone was blowing up from everybody that I talked to about the guy. They’re all sending me pictures and videos. And I’m like, yes, because my customers, I’m like, I was begging the one customer in particular that paid over $100,000 in escalation. I go, ‘Dude, you got to get a lawyer.’ Somebody’s got to stand up to this guy. He keeps doing this to everybody,” LaBoeuf said. “I would like to have a picture of Paul Beatty behind bars, or at least with handcuffs on, so I can hang it in my office,” LaBoeuf said. There is still no word from Cape Coral police about the Wednesday raid of the Beattie Development Offices. As for Paul Beattie, WINK News did reach out again on Friday, as we have since Wednesday, and have not heard back. WINK News will keep pushing for answers, but in the meantime, contact us if you have information about Beattie’s development to share.